Isaac
Junior Member
Went detecting with my friend Matthew yesterday. It's been in the making for a long time, I was glad we were finally able to do it.
The first spot we went to was a spot I got permission for last November, so it was the only preliminary spot I had. It was a farm field across the road from where an old house once sat, so I thought some of the "oldness" could've overflowed there. While we did find a couple period targets, it wasn't worth spending more than an hour there since all I dug was the top to a skeleton key and Matt only dug two flat buttons.
We left and started door knocking some standing homes I researched beforehand. The first house I got permission to was built in 1816 and looked really good. Unfortunately, it wasn't the greatest yard, but there was definitely a couple targets. I managed to find a spill of $12 - 9 $1 coins and 4 half dollars. It was definitely worth digging the surface high tones there. I also got a tin-backed ball button with a nice design on it and what's left of a pewter spoon. The homeowner gave us a lead about a period log cabin which burned down where the modern house next door stands now. That will be for another time, though.
The next door we knocked on also said "yes", it was a 1790 house which had a spacious front yard and looked original. It also had a stone spring house (very common in the area we were hunting) and a log kitchen off to the side of the home, commonplace for these pre-CW sites. Immediately after stepping foot into the yard, the first target I got was a 1907 V nickel. The second target was a flat button. Things were looking fantastic and we were really excited to see what else. The rest of the day was just me and Matt digging like crazy. We spent more time digging than swinging.
In a span of 4 hours, the coins I ended up were 28 (!!!) wheat cents, 5 Indians (1888, 1903, 1905, 1905, 1907), 2 V nickels (1890, 1907), a '43P war nickel, and a '23 Mercury dime. Matthew got the two best coins though - an 1800 Draped Bust large cent and a beautiful King George II halfpenny. I did, however, mop up the relics, which were 6 buttons (including a fat Zouave ball button loaded with gilt and a fantastic large pewter coat button), two old gold plated rings, a colonial saddle strap guide, a pewter spoon handle marked "BRITANNIA", a candle snuffer piece, a brass 1700s trigger guard, and a m.1840 Colt powder flask half.
What a fun day!!! Thanks for reading! Happy hunting and enjoy the pictures!
The first spot we went to was a spot I got permission for last November, so it was the only preliminary spot I had. It was a farm field across the road from where an old house once sat, so I thought some of the "oldness" could've overflowed there. While we did find a couple period targets, it wasn't worth spending more than an hour there since all I dug was the top to a skeleton key and Matt only dug two flat buttons.
We left and started door knocking some standing homes I researched beforehand. The first house I got permission to was built in 1816 and looked really good. Unfortunately, it wasn't the greatest yard, but there was definitely a couple targets. I managed to find a spill of $12 - 9 $1 coins and 4 half dollars. It was definitely worth digging the surface high tones there. I also got a tin-backed ball button with a nice design on it and what's left of a pewter spoon. The homeowner gave us a lead about a period log cabin which burned down where the modern house next door stands now. That will be for another time, though.
The next door we knocked on also said "yes", it was a 1790 house which had a spacious front yard and looked original. It also had a stone spring house (very common in the area we were hunting) and a log kitchen off to the side of the home, commonplace for these pre-CW sites. Immediately after stepping foot into the yard, the first target I got was a 1907 V nickel. The second target was a flat button. Things were looking fantastic and we were really excited to see what else. The rest of the day was just me and Matt digging like crazy. We spent more time digging than swinging.
In a span of 4 hours, the coins I ended up were 28 (!!!) wheat cents, 5 Indians (1888, 1903, 1905, 1905, 1907), 2 V nickels (1890, 1907), a '43P war nickel, and a '23 Mercury dime. Matthew got the two best coins though - an 1800 Draped Bust large cent and a beautiful King George II halfpenny. I did, however, mop up the relics, which were 6 buttons (including a fat Zouave ball button loaded with gilt and a fantastic large pewter coat button), two old gold plated rings, a colonial saddle strap guide, a pewter spoon handle marked "BRITANNIA", a candle snuffer piece, a brass 1700s trigger guard, and a m.1840 Colt powder flask half.
What a fun day!!! Thanks for reading! Happy hunting and enjoy the pictures!
